Chargers vs. Raiders: Who has the edge?

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Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is playing as well as he has at any point in his 15-year career, while Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is struggling to find his way in coach Jon Gruden’s offense. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

CHARGERS (6-2) AT RAIDERS (1-7)

TV/Radio: KCBS/2; 570-AM, 980-AM (Spanish) (Note: Change in usual radio station because of fire coverage on KFI 640-AM)

CHARGERS OFFENSE VS. RAIDERS DEFENSE

Over their last three divisional showdowns, the Raiders have failed miserably in finding a way to stop Philip Rivers. Rivers has a history of beating up on Oakland, but that’s been especially true in those last three games, as he’s completed 75 percent of his passes for 994 yards and six touchdowns. Count on those numbers to inflate even further after Sunday’s showdown. The Raiders are giving up more net yards per attempt through the air (8.6) than any other team in the NFL, while Rivers has been near-unstoppable throwing the ball. If his connection to Keenan Allen continues to heat up this week, Allen could do some serious damage. The same could be said for Melvin Gordon and the run game, which has been surging as of late. Gordon has a touchdown every this week this season, outside of Week 1, and he’s eclipsed 100 yards from scrimmage in each of his past four. This matchup is a fantasy football owner’s dream. EDGE: Chargers

RAIDERS OFFENSE VS. CHARGERS DEFENSE

Even as the Raiders have fallen apart, Derek Carr has tried to keep the wreckage together. Normally interception prone, Carr hasn’t thrown the ball to the other team at all over the past three weeks. (He has fumbled four times, but who’s counting?) But with a resurgent Casey Hayward and the always-steady Derwin James anchoring the secondary, Carr may have a tough time moving the ball. The run game used to be the best method for beating the Chargers defense, but they’ve improved by leaps and bounds in that department. Not that it would matter much with perpetually disappointing Doug Martin leading the Raiders backfield. Over his last 27 games, Martin is averaging just a tick over 3 yards per carry. More than likely, the Raiders will have to abandon the run and count on Carr to beat the Chargers defense. After beating up Carr throughout their earlier meeting, something tells me the Chargers are ready for that. EDGE: Chargers

SPECIAL TEAMS

Caleb Sturgis is out, and the Chargers officially have a new kicker. Whether the change to Michael Badgley will cast out the team’s kicking curse remains to be seen, but Badgley certainly seems to have the right attitude to solve the problem. Badgley isn’t totally new, but a kicking change can affect other aspects of the special teams. Badgley, for one, struggled mightily on kickoffs in his last game. If there’s any aspect of this game in which the Raiders can take full advantage, it’s here. All that said, the Raiders have actually used more kickers (3) than the Chargers this season. EDGE: Even

COACHING

If you’ve given your coach a 10-year, $100-million contract, they should probably be a lock to win this category most weeks. That, of course, isn’t the case with Jon Gruden, who has just one victory in his first eight games back as Raiders coach. He knows this season is a lost cause, but he can still do more to execute better on both sides of the ball. Anthony Lynn has the Chargers cruising at the moment, and while they’ve found themselves in close games recently, they’ve held strong. That probably wouldn’t have been the case in the past. EDGE: Chargers

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INTANGIBLES

The Coliseum is among the NFL’s most raucous atmospheres, but when the team is a disastrous downward spiral, how much can the crowd really change things? It’s reasonable to think the Chargers could lose focus and make this closer than necessary, given their history. But with a five-game win streak behind them, players have been saying the right things this week about not overlooking the Raiders. Even if they did, they could probably still win. EDGE: Chargers

Chargers running backs versus Raiders defensive front. While Melvin Gordon has been on a tear in recent weeks, the Raiders front-seven has been torn to shreds by opposing running backs. Against the Seahawks, Colts and 49ers, the Raiders allowed an average of 173 yards per game. None of those teams have backs capable of doing damage like Gordon. This could also be a chance for Austin Ekeler to get back into the gameplan, after a quiet week in Seattle.

PREDICTION

Chargers 31, Raiders 13

As the Raiders appear to be tanking, the Chargers should continue to soar here. The offense is too explosive for a struggling Raiders defense to handle. Unless Derek Carr plays out of his mind, the Chargers should have no trouble keeping the Raiders from moving the ball. Don’t expect a close one here.

Ryan Kartje is a sports features reporter, with a special focus on the NFL and college sports. He has worked for the Orange County Register since 2012, when he was hired as UCLA beat writer. His enterprise work on the rise and fall of the daily fantasy sports industry (http://www.ocregister.com/articles/industry-689093-fantasy-daily.html) was honored in 2015 with an Associated Press Sports Editors’ enterprise award in the highest circulation category. His writing has also been honored by the Football Writers Association of America and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Ryan worked for the Bloomington (Ind.) Herald-Times and Fox Sports Wisconsin, before moving out west to live by the beach and eat copious amounts of burritos.